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Will the last Conservative MP in parliament please turn out the lights?
Former prime minister Theresa May has today announced she will go the way of fellow Tory big beasts Sajid Javid, Dominic Raab and Ben Wallace (among others) by standing down at the next election — whenever that may be.
After the Maidenhead Advertiser (May’s local paper) got the scoop, the former PM posted the requisite statement to X/Twitter. In it, she said it had been “an honour” to serve as the MP Maidenhead for a full 27 years. A line later in May’s statement, which saw her back Rishi Sunak and insist that “the Conservatives can win the election”, will be especially welcome in No 10.
However, it is impossible to ignore the fact that May’s departure adds a sense of gravitas to the burgeoning exodus of Conservative MPs fleeing frontline politics. May, after all, is the 60th Conservative MP to announce their decision to step down at the next election — and the second this week. May’s exit follows that of former minister Paul Scully, who declared his intention to quit on Monday.
Viewed side by side, you couldn’t find two more different departures: while May was loyal to the last — declaring her unwavering confidence in the PM and her party’s electoral prospects, Scully struck a resoundingly different note. In a post to X on Monday, he began a lengthy diatribe thusly: “Fuelled by division, the party has lost its way and needs to get a clear focus which I hope the budget can start to provide”.
Scully and May’s departure are therefore strikingly different in both stature and nature — but the end sum is the same: another Conservative MP leaves the commons. Take the conclusion to my piece on Tuesday:
As the number of Conservative departees creeps higher and higher, it only seems a matter of time before it surpasses — and eventually dwarfs — the 1997 Tory out-take. The media commentary that will follow, and the fatigued vibes such an exodus exudes, will strengthen the feeling of malaise that envelops Conservative politics.
Now, from a famous soon-to-be former MP to well-known a prospective candidate. In the first of a new series of constituency profiles, I look at Blur drummer Dave Rowntree’s chances of winning in Mid Sussex — typically safe Tory territory.
Will Blur drummer Dave Rowntree win for Labour in Mid Sussex?
Lunchtime briefing
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Lunchtime soundbite
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‘A relentless campaigner, a fiercely loyal MP to the people of Maidenhead, and Britain’s second female prime minister. Theresa May defines what it means to be a public servant. I have no doubt Theresa will continue to make a positive impact on public life.’ — In a post on X/Twitter this morning, Rishi Sunak pays tribute to former prime minister Theresa May’s 27 years in parliament. |
Now try this:
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‘What the Conservatives can learn from my decision to step down’ ‘The Rochdale by-election’ ‘Labour and Tory-linked thinktanks organise conference to “disagree well”’ |
On this day in…
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2022: Panel says John Bercow should have parliamentary pass revoked for ‘serial bullying’ NEWS: The Independent Expert Panel (IEP) has today published a report reprimanding John Bercow, the former Speaker of the House of Commons, for breaching Parliament’s bullying and harassment policy. Read more… » |
